Condemning inaction on climate change, he said: “As we sit here today, our world is on fire.” The prince told delegates: “This has been a painful year in a painful decade. “We are living through a pandemic that continues to devastate communities in every corner of the globe. Climate change [is] wreak havoc on our planet, with the most vulnerable suffering the most.” Referring to Putin’s horrific invasion of Ukraine and the US Supreme Court’s recent decision to overturn Roe v Wade, Duke decried “the few weaponizing lies and disinformation and lies against the many. “From the horrific war in Ukraine to the rollback of constitutional rights here in the United States, we are witnessing a global assault on democracy and freedom – the cause of Mandela’s life.” Prince Harry’s comments at the UN are not the first time he has intervened in US politics. In 2020, he – along with his wife Meghan Markle – urged Americans to “reject hate speech” ahead of the US presidential election. The couple moved to Los Angeles in March 2020 to live permanently in America after stepping down as full-time royals. He is one of many royals who have campaigned for the need to stop climate change, and last year the Duke and Duchess of Sussex pledged to make all their businesses carbon neutral by 2030. Duke told the UN: “As so often in history, the consequences of some of the most powerful people in some of the richest countries are felt even more deeply across the African continent. “The pandemic, war and inflation have left Africa mired in a food and fuel crisis the likes of which we have not seen in decades. “What’s worse is that this comes at a time when the Horn of Africa is enduring one of the worst droughts it has faced in almost half a century. “What is happening in Africa is not an isolated event. The drought is a reflection of the extreme weather conditions we are seeing around the world. As we sit here today, our world is burning again. “These historic weather events are no longer historic. Increasingly, they are part of our everyday lives – and this crisis will only get worse if our leaders don’t lead. “Unless the countries represented by the seats in this hallowed hall make the decisions – the bold, transformative decisions – that our world needs to save humanity.” The prince’s remarks come as wildfires rage across western Europe and the UK scorches in a record-breaking heat wave, prompting the Met Office to issue its first red weather warning. Despite interventions from the royals and staunch climate campaigners Princes Charles and William, last year’s COP26 summit in Glasgow was slammed by campaigners for failing to secure a deal that adequately tackled global warming. World leaders said they had not done enough to stop the global average temperature rising by 2 degrees – the point at which climate scientists predict the devastating effects of climate change will become exponential. Prince Harry had been invited to the UN to give a speech to mark Nelson Mandela International Day. In it, he described the late South African politician as “a man with the weight of the world on his shoulders”, who “endured the worst of humanity” but “was still able to see the goodness in humanity”. He added that “even when faced with unimaginable cruelty and injustice, [Mandela] he always had a smile on his face.” Looking at photographs of Mandela from his life, the prince said: “For me, there is one particular photograph that stands out: on my wall and in my heart every day, is a picture of my mother and Mandela meeting in Cape Town on 1997. She added: “When I first looked at the photo, the immediate thing that jumped out was the joy on my mother’s face; the playfulness – cheeky, even. “The pleasure of being in communion with another soul so devoted to the service of humanity.”
